Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1887-01-25

fNttht WV w "U'Nl ~
va, no, preposse.sed In hi, favor. A
sallo~ looking chap. with a big black
beard and tangled hair. the outline. OF
his figure eurled up under the blankets
seemed TO indicate tha, he was abou,
seven fee, high. and could SEQ that he
vas f,igaing sleep aud watching the. |
determined TO "blutf Il through hpo,.
,ible. Plleiag the candle again on the
shelf unbo,,oned the overcoA, and drew
forth my big "nAvies," Putting them
on half.eoek. | ,wiiled the eylinder
around and looked carefully into each
chamber. then giving Sigh as II OF re.
lief, aud a. II 10 say chats good for 'in
shot. anyhow" laid them OF the bed
I was TO oceupy. Then | pulled the old
sloueh ha, q. far over my ears a. posi-
Die. turned down the blankets. and with
boots, o,efcos, and hat on turned into
the bed. The pistols placed oae on
each side Of me. the knife laid under
my back. wskensd Mac, whJ. totally
exhausted. va. asleep on the h1or. made
him Jump in and lie down e!o'e TO me.
and then pulled the banks" over u.
both. quickly dropped into a halt
sleep. A movement from the other
ereaky bed awakened me. opened my
eye., and. by the dull .now.lish, which
sIassled through the ,ingls -indo~.
could see the outlines Of the man In the
other bed. and he was sitting up.
Ia an instant was on the alert. bat
made no movement. lie leaned forward
and seemed TO listen then he dropped
down again. In about five miauiss he
once more raised himself and fof time
va. mo,ionlss. then one lex was pat
outside the cover. thea the other. aud he
.,ood erect. With the u,mo,, caution
he invested hi. long legs In their proper
garments. And then. gathering up bis
other clothing and boot. in bis arms, he
stole quietly {. robbsr out OF the
room.
| heard him ds.eend the stairs and
knock lightly on the door OF tie land
lord. chamber; several times he knock.
ed. then the door WAS opened, and
could hear the dull mu,,siins, OF the bis
German, the ,krill whispers Of = woman.
ani enns,,. ,kocsh los tones. which
must be those Of the stranger Then the
two men wen, down into the bn.room
and | decided ,h., Was "ia fof H." l
er.p, oa, Of bed aud vent TO the dcor-
no lock OF catch WAS there. | looked fo'
something TO brace against i,-no,hins
could be found. One OF the ,wo ehAl"
had only three leg'. and none had any
back. va. eAugh, Ia trap.
/ had Tough, my way through every
grade. from private TO captain. IN the
field. and done every line Of duty from
pieks, to pitched battle, bat ! never had
such trying hour. a, passed Ia that bed.
| could recognize the shutting OF stock.
ing. ,hod feet on the frs, hoor. .td could
hear steady oohvsrs,ion for sboa, nj
teen minutes. Then al VAS que, ior
time. Nsl, heard a heavy bat cautious
tread ascending 10 the landlords room'
and the woman. whispers were renew
ed.
The gsns,.room door vas oPsn ji''
crack. There | fastened my gafs oa
,ha, poin, directed the barrels OF my
pistols. heard the stairs ereAk aud the
wind howl.
| watched and waited. aud f-h
..le,p. when woke. Mac was licking
my face and broad daylight "a. stream.
ins through the window. my pi',oI' lay
where they bad fallen from my hands
and | had neither ,lii throat OF other
bodily injury. | fsl, Ia my pockets
there wa, my money all right. Quickly
| made my way down stairs Ia the bar
room. which seemed rather cosy by
morning view va. the host. who no"
looked real honest. sturdy fello~
Gould | have brsakfAii fof myself and
dog
"vell. | CUES, 90. sidsr Bit
And all the time be Was eytlns me
mos, eurioa,ly. took a sea, by the
ho, stove he came and rAi,lsd !, lit
lie with the poker. and a, las, sad
"s.y. va, mi, do, oder fsllsr you do
lash, night. DO; you do 80 moeh him
skeer,"
"Dol- .lid |. IL didn', do any-
thing. and a. to .keer. I'll bet horse
he wa,n', half 90 much ,kesr,d As wA';
the laundering big border rufii,n "
"By shimminy do, a good one vas.
lie COON, down all mi, der drimbil' un'
wakes mine wife aud she myself wakes,
aud he say to one. Va, for you cent to
mine pc, room cp. do, fsller NIT 'i'e
ma.k hi. face on. uni von plsh'ol' un'
dog. big ploo, hOun dog SHAY no'
der room In mi, no such Ploo, hoan dog.
un, mur,srin' cOd.,ro,e. haf Dc shAir
in de kitchen for him fix. un, be /. de
daylight leaf mi,oli his breakfast what
for he de las, night paid"
Spite Of its very tame. though sat-
isfsc,ory ending. ,ha, vi. {. ,ryias
nigh, a. ever passed 10 my life.